Riverside is implementing California's three-tier waste-diversion mandate — AB 939 (50% diversion since 2000), AB 341 (mandatory commercial recycling), and SB 1383 (organics/edible-food recovery). Every single-family residence is automatically subscribed to weekly blue-cart recycling and green-cart organics, and every multi-family complex and commercial business must subscribe to a recycling and organics service.
California's Integrated Waste Management Act (AB 939, 1989) requires each jurisdiction to divert at least 50% of its waste stream from landfills, and Riverside's AB 939 implementation is documented on the Public Works page of that name. AB 341 (2011) added a 75% statewide diversion goal and mandates that any business generating 4+ cubic yards of waste per week and any multi-family complex of 5+ units must arrange for recycling service. SB 1383 (effective Jan 1, 2022, fully phased in by July 1, 2022) layered organics on top: every residence must have organics collection (the green cart), every business must subscribe to organics service, and Tier 1/Tier 2 commercial edible-food generators (grocery, large food service) must donate surplus edible food. Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 makes participation in City refuse and recycling service compulsory for residential properties. Accepted blue-cart materials are paper, cardboard (flattened), aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles/tubs/jugs (#1, #2, #5) — all rinsed; rejected items are plastic bags, polystyrene foam, food-soiled paper, diapers, hoses, e-waste, batteries, and hazardous waste. Contaminated blue carts may be tagged and refused. Multi-family and commercial customers can be cited and surcharged by the State (via CalRecycle) and the City for noncompliance.
Failure of a multi-family complex (5+ units) or qualifying business to subscribe to recycling and organics service violates AB 341, AB 1826, SB 1383, and Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 6.04. The City may issue notices of violation, place liens, or refuse occupancy permits; CalRecycle may directly assess administrative civil penalties. SB 1383 regulations (14 CCR §18997.2) authorize fines up to $50 per day for minor violations, $100/day for moderate, and $500/day for major after a 60-day cure period (penalties began Jan 1, 2024). Single-family residents who chronically contaminate the blue or green cart may be subject to overage fees, cart tagging, or — after written warnings — Title 1 infractions.
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